4 injured when A&M equine center collapses

By Carol Christian |
June 22, 2013
| Updated: June 22, 2013 6:19pm

College Station firefighters survey the damage following the collapse of a building frame of the Texas A&M University equestrian center on Saturday, June 22, 2013 near College Station, Texas. A portion of the equestrian center under construction has collapsed. A&M spokesman Lane Stephenson confirmed there had been an accident at the equestrian center on university property about a mile from the College Station campus. (AP Photo/Bryan College Station Eagle, Stuart Villanueva)

College Station firefighters survey the damage following the collapse of a building frame of the Texas A&M University equestrian center on Saturday, June 22, 2013 near College Station, Texas. A portion of the equestrian center under construction has collapsed. A&M spokesman Lane Stephenson confirmed there had been an accident at the equestrian center on university property about a mile from the College Station campus. (AP Photo/Bryan College Station Eagle, Stuart Villanueva)

Photo By Stuart Villanueva/MBR

College Station firefighters survey the damage Saturday following the collapse of a building frame at the Texas A&M University equestrian center.

Four workers were injured when the steel frame of Texas A&M University's equine center collapsed in a construction site accident Saturday, officials said.

The men were hurt around 10:50 a.m. by metal beams from a 300-foot-long barn building being built in the 3500 block of F and B Road near FM 2818, a College Station Fire Department statement said.

The injured workers - among about 25 or 30 at the site at the time - were trapped until about 11:18 a.m. Search-and-rescue efforts were temporarily suspended while the remainder of the structure was stabilized, according to the fire department's statement.

After a second search of the area, no other injuries were reported.

St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan received four workers from the accident, a spokesman said Saturday. A 35-year-old man was admitted in critical condition, two 22-year-old men were admitted in stable condition, and a fourth man, age 32, was treated and released, according to hospital spokesman Tim Ottinger.

The Texas A&M University Police Department is investigating the incident.

Construction on the $80 million Texas A&M Equine Complex began in October to provide a home for equine science education, research and outreach initiatives dedicated to the welfare of horses, according to a news release. It's designed to consolidate academic programs, clubs and associations into one "premier location in order to teach, train, conduct research, exhibit and showcase events," according to the Houston-based Gamma Construction Co. website, lead contractor on the 300,000-square-foot facility.

Kirksey Architecture in Houston designed the complex, according to Gamma and Kirksey websites.

Owned by Texas A&M Equine Initiative Foundation, the complex was slated for completion in December.